Vehicle heat management system

ABSTRACT

A vehicle heat management system includes a refrigerant circuit, a battery temperature regulation circuit, and an electric part cooling circuit. The refrigerant circuit circulates a refrigerant to regulate a temperature inside a passenger compartment through the refrigerant circuit. The battery temperature regulation circuit regulates a temperature of a battery by introducing a liquid that exchanges heat with the refrigerant to the battery. The electric part cooling circuit circulates a liquid cooled by a radiator circulates through the electric part cooling circuit, and is capable of cooling a first and second pieces for driving a vehicle. In a first mode, the liquid cooled by the radiator cools the first piece of equipment, the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit cools the second piece of equipment, and the liquid which has exchanged heat with the refrigerant is introduced in parallel to the battery and the second piece of equipment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent ApplicationNo. 2018-185260 filed on Sep. 28, 2018, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The disclosure relates to a vehicle heat management system.

In the related art, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application PublicationNo. 2016-137773 relates to a system configuration of a vehicular airconditioning device of an electric vehicle, and describes that a batterycycle and a refrigeration cycle (air conditioning) exchange heat,additionally that a three-way valve is formed between the battery cycleand a power module cycle, and that temperature regulation is performed.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the disclosure provides a vehicle heat management systemincluding a refrigerant circuit, a battery temperature regulationcircuit, and an electric part cooling circuit. The refrigerant circuitis configured to circulate a refrigerant to regulate a temperatureinside a passenger compartment through the refrigerant circuit. Thebattery temperature regulation circuit is configured to regulate atemperature of a battery by introducing a liquid that exchanges heatwith the refrigerant to the battery. The electric part cooling circuitis configured to circulate a liquid cooled by a radiator through theelectric part cooling circuit. The electric part cooling circuit iscapable of cooling a first piece of equipment and a second piece ofequipment for driving a vehicle. In a first mode, the liquid cooled bythe radiator cools the first piece of equipment, the refrigerant of therefrigerant circuit cools the second piece of equipment, and the liquidwhich has exchanged heat with the refrigerant is introduced in parallelto the battery and the second piece of equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate example embodimentsand, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration ofa vehicle heat management system according to an embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when cooling apassenger compartment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when cooling ahigh-voltage battery;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations in a case of bothcooling the passenger compartment and also cooling the high-voltagebattery;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when dehumidifyingthe passenger compartment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when bothdehumidifying and also heating the passenger compartment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a different example ofoperations when both dehumidifying and also heating the passengercompartment;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of bothdehumidifying the passenger compartment and also cooling thehigh-voltage battery;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of bothdehumidifying the passenger compartment and also warming up thehigh-voltage battery;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of heatingthe passenger compartment with a heat pump configuration;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of heatingthe passenger compartment with a high-voltage heater;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of warming upthe high-voltage battery with a heat pump; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of warming upthe high-voltage battery with a high-voltage heater.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of adding bypasswater channels to the configuration of the power electronics coolingcircuit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of regulating thetemperature of the high-voltage battery by utilizing powertrain coolingwater in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case of using the wasteheat of a second piece of equipment;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of cooling afirst piece of equipment by utilizing powertrain coolant and cooling asecond piece of equipment by utilizing coolant of the batterytemperature regulation circuit; and

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a different example ofcooling a first piece of equipment by utilizing powertrain coolant andcooling a second piece of equipment by utilizing coolant of the batterytemperature regulation circuit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following, a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of thedisclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. Note that sizes, materials, specific values, and any otherfactors illustrated in the embodiment are illustrative for easierunderstanding of the disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scopeof the disclosure unless otherwise specifically stated. Further,elements in the following example embodiment which are not recited in amost-generic independent claim of the disclosure are optional and may beprovided on an as-needed basis. Throughout the present specification andthe drawings, elements having substantially the same function andconfiguration are denoted with the same reference numerals to avoid anyredundant description. Further, elements that are not directly relatedto the disclosure are unillustrated in the drawings. The drawings areschematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the technologydescribed in JP-A No. 2016-137773 above, since only the simple exchangeof heat is executed between the battery cycle and the refrigerationcycle, under conditions in which the temperature of the refrigerantcannot be controlled optimally because of the outdoor air temperature orthe like for example, it is difficult to bring the battery temperatureto a suitable temperature. Further, in an electric vehicle, since theamount of generated heat and the demanded temperature of a high-voltagepart to be cooled is lower than an ordinary vehicle using an internalcombustion engine, it becomes more difficult to create a temperaturedifference in the heat exchanger. Also, for heating, since an internalcombustion engine to act as a heat source does not exist in an electricvehicle, and a sufficient amount of heat is not obtained from the wasteheat of the high-voltage part, it is necessary to provide separatedevices for generating heat, and the efficiency of these devices greatlyinfluences the energy efficiency. For this reason, in the case in whichmultiple objects of temperature adjustment exist, multiple devicesneeded for cooling and heating also become necessary, and control alsobecomes more complicated, leading to increased cost and weight of thevehicle.

Furthermore, if the cooling circuit is configured using a radiator,since the water temperature cannot be lowered past the outdoor airtemperature, there is a problem of being unable to ensure the desiredcooling capacity depending on the outdoor air temperature. Inparticular, if cooling is insufficient for a high-voltage part such asthe motor that drives the vehicle, the driving force of the vehicle willbe insufficient, and there is a possibility that a situation will occurin which the vehicle is unable to exhibit desired performance. On theother hand, in the case of cooling a high-voltage part using arefrigerant function such as air conditioning, there is a possibilitythat the cooling capacity for air conditioning will be insufficient.

It is desirable to provide a novel and improved vehicle heat managementsystem capable of optimally cooling high-voltage parts that requirecooling.

1. Configuration of Heat Management System

First, FIG. 1 will be referenced to describe a schematic configurationof a heat management system 1000 of a vehicle according to an embodimentof the disclosure. The heat management system 1000 is installed in avehicle such as an electric vehicle. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the heatmanagement system 1000 includes a power electronics cooling circuit 100,a refrigerant circuit 200, a heating circuit 300, and a batterytemperature regulation circuit 400. In the heat management system 1000,the regulation of the temperature inside the passenger compartment andthe regulation of the temperature of the battery for driving the vehicleare realized by the combination of the power electronics cooling circuit100, the refrigerant circuit 200, the heating circuit 300, and thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400.

1.1. Configuration of Power Electronics Cooling Circuit

The power electronics cooling circuit 100 is coupled to powerelectronics for driving the vehicle, and cools these power electronics.Specifically, the power electronics cooling circuit 100 is coupled to afirst piece of equipment 110. Also, the power electronics coolingcircuit 100 is coupled to a radiator 102, an expansion tank 104, and awater pump 106. For example, the first piece of equipment 110 includesthe driving motor of the vehicle, an inverter, a converter, or the like,and a second piece of equipment 116 includes the driving motor of thevehicle, an inverter, a converter, or the like.

A liquid (long life coolant (LLC)) flows through the power electronicscooling circuit 100. In FIG. 1, when a cooling fan 500 rotates, airproduced by the cooling fan 500 hits the outdoor heat exchanger 202 ofthe refrigerant circuit 200 and the radiator 102. Note that while thevehicle is traveling, drag wind also hits the outdoor heat exchanger 202and the radiator 102. With this arrangement, heat exchange is performedin the radiator 102, and the liquid passing through the radiator 102 iscooled.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, in the power electronics cooling circuit 100,liquid flows in the direction of the arrows according to the action ofthe water pump 106. The expansion tank 104 provided on the upstream sideof the water pump 106 temporarily stores liquid and has a function ofseparating gas and liquid fluid.

The liquid flowing through the power electronics cooling circuit 100 isdivided in two directions at a branch 122 and supplied to each of thefirst piece of equipment 110 and the second piece of equipment 116. Withthis arrangement, the first piece of equipment 110 and the second pieceof equipment 116 are cooled. The liquid flowing through the powerelectronics cooling circuit 100 is returned to the radiator 102.

1.2. Configuration of Refrigerant Circuit

The refrigerant circuit 200 is coupled to an outdoor heat exchanger 202,a low-voltage solenoid valve 204, a chiller expansion valve 206, anaccumulator 208, a motorized compressor 210, a water-cooled condenserbypass solenoid valve 212, a high-voltage solenoid valve 214, a heatingsolenoid valve 216, a cooling expansion valve 217, an evaporator 218, acheck valve 220, a water-cooled condenser 306, and a chiller 408.

When a cooling fan 500 rotates, air produced by the cooling fan 500 hitsthe outdoor heat exchanger 202 of the refrigerant circuit 200. With thisarrangement, heat is exchanged at the outdoor heat exchanger 202, andrefrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 202 is cooled.

Also, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the refrigerant circuit 200,refrigerant flows in the direction of the arrows according to the actionof the motorized compressor 210. The accumulator 208 provided on theupstream side of the motorized compressor 210 has a function ofseparating gas and liquid refrigerant.

In the refrigerant circuit 200, refrigerant compressed by the motorizedcompressor 210 is cooled by the outdoor heat exchanger 202, and by beinginjected into the evaporator 218 by the cooling expansion valve 217, therefrigerant gasifies and cools the evaporator 218. Subsequently, air 10sent to the evaporator 218 is cooled, and by introducing this air 10into the passenger compartment, the passenger compartment is cooled. Therefrigerant circuit 200 principally cools, dehumidifies, and heats thepassenger compartment.

Additionally, in the embodiment, the refrigerant circuit 200 alsoregulates the temperature of a high-voltage battery 410. The regulationof the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410 by the refrigerantcircuit 200 will be described in detail later.

1.3. Configuration of Heating Circuit

The heating circuit 300 is coupled to a high-voltage heater 302, aheater core 304, the water-cooled condenser 306, a water pump 308, and athree-way valve 310. Also, the heating circuit 300 is coupled tothree-way valves 404 and 412 of the battery temperature regulationcircuit 400 via channels 312 and 314. The heating circuit 300principally heats the passenger compartment. Additionally, in theembodiment, the heating circuit 300 also regulates the temperature ofthe high-voltage battery 410.

In the heating circuit 300, a liquid (LLC) for heating flows. The liquidflows in the direction of the arrows according to the action of thewater pump 308. When the high-voltage heater 302 acts, the liquid iswarmed by the high-voltage heater 302. The air 10 sent to the evaporator218 hits the heater core 304. The air 10 sent to the evaporator 218 iswarmed by the heater core 304 and introduced into the passengercompartment. With this arrangement, the passenger compartment is heated.The evaporator 218 and the heater core 304 may also be configured as asingular device.

The water-cooled condenser 306 exchanges heat between the heatingcircuit 300 and the refrigerant circuit 200. The regulation of thetemperature of the high-voltage battery 410 by the heating circuit 300will be described in detail later.

1.4. Configuration of Battery Temperature Regulation Circuit

The battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is coupled to a waterpump 402, the three-way valve 404, an expansion tank 406, the chiller408, the high-voltage battery 410, and the three-way valve 412. Thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400 regulates the temperature ofthe high-voltage battery 410.

In the battery temperature regulation circuit 400, a liquid (LLC) forregulating the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410 flows. Theliquid flows in the direction of the arrows according to the action ofthe water pump 402. The liquid is introduced into the chiller 408. Thechiller 408 exchanges heat between the liquid flowing through thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400 and the refrigerant flowingthrough the refrigerant circuit 200. The expansion tank 406 is a tankthat temporarily stores liquid.

As described above, the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 alsoregulates the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410. Theregulation of the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410 by thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400 will be described in detaillater.

1.5. Regulation of Temperature of High-Voltage Battery

When the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410 rises moderately,the electric power generated by the high-voltage battery 410 increases.In the embodiment, by regulating the temperature of the high-voltagebattery 410 with the refrigerant circuit 200 and the heating circuit300, it is possible to regulate the temperature of the high-voltagebattery 410 optimally and cause the high-voltage battery 410 to exhibithigh output. For example, when starting the vehicle in the winter or thelike, since the high-voltage battery 410 is cold, it may not be possibleto exhibit sufficient output in some cases. Also, when charging thehigh-voltage battery 410, the high-voltage battery 410 generates heat,and the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410 may rise excessivelyin some cases. Likewise in such cases, by regulating the temperature ofthe high-voltage battery 410 with the refrigerant circuit 200 and theheating circuit 300, it is possible to regulate the temperature of thehigh-voltage battery 410 optimally. Note that the regulation of thetemperature of the high-voltage battery 410 preferably is executedaccording to a feedback control based on a measured value of thetemperature of the high-voltage battery 410.

2. Exemplary Operations of Heat Management System

Next, the operations of the heat management system 1000 configured asabove will be described. To cool, dehumidify, and heat the passengercompartment and also to regulate the temperature of the high-voltagebattery 410, various types of heat exchange are performed. In thefollowing, these operations in the heat management system will bedescribed. Note that each operation is merely an example, and thecontrol for achieving each operation is not limited to what is given asan example. In the following description, the operating states of thelow-voltage solenoid valve 204, the chiller expansion valve 206, thewater-cooled condenser bypass solenoid valve 212, the high-voltagesolenoid valve 214, the heating solenoid valve 216, the three-way valve310, the three-way valve 404, and the three-way valve 412 will beillustrated in the diagrams as solid white to denote the open state andas solid black to denote the closed state.

2.1. Cooling Passenger Compartment

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when cooling thepassenger compartment. Cooling of the passenger compartment is performedby the refrigerant circuit 200. FIG. 2 illustrates a state in which theheating circuit 300 and the battery temperature regulation circuit 400are stopped. The refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 200 flows in thedirection indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2. As described above, air 10sent to the evaporator 218 is cooled by the evaporator 218, and byintroducing this air 10 into the passenger compartment, the passengercompartment is cooled.

2.2. Cooling High-Voltage Battery

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when cooling thehigh-voltage battery 410. In FIG. 3, the cooling of the high-voltagebattery 410 is achieved by causing the refrigerant flowing through therefrigerant circuit 200 and the liquid flowing through the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 to exchange heat with each other inthe chiller 408. Refrigerant compressed by the motorized compressor 210is cooled by the outdoor heat exchanger 202, and by being injected intothe chiller 408 by the chiller expansion valve 206, the refrigerantgasifies and cools the chiller 408. With this arrangement, the liquidflowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is cooledby the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 200. FIG. 3illustrates a state in which the heating circuit 300 is stopped.

2.3. Cooling Passenger Compartment and Cooling High-Voltage Battery

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations in a case of bothcooling the passenger compartment and also cooling the high-voltagebattery 410. By opening the chiller expansion valve 206 with respect toFIG. 2, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 200 andthe liquid flowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit400 exchange heat with each other in the chiller 408, and thehigh-voltage battery 410 is cooled. FIG. 4 illustrates a state in whichthe heating circuit 300 is stopped.

2.4. Dehumidifying Passenger Compartment

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when dehumidifyingthe passenger compartment. FIG. 5 differs from FIG. 2 in that air thathas been cooled and dehumidified by the evaporator 218 is reheated bythe heater core 304. The refrigerant after exchanging heat in theevaporator 218 is in a high-temperature, high-pressure state. By causingliquid to flow through the heating circuit 300 by the action of thewater pump 308 and causing the liquid in the heating circuit 300 toexchange heat with the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant atthe water-cooled condenser 306, the liquid in the heating circuit 300 isheated. At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 5, by closing parts of thethree-way valve 310, the three-way valve 404, and the three-way valve412, the liquid in the heating circuit 300 does not flow into thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400. The air dehumidified by theevaporator 218 is warmed by the heater core 304 and introduced into thepassenger compartment. In conditions in which the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 is not given enough heat from the refrigerant, thehigh-voltage heater 302 is turned on to heat the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 further.

2.5. Dehumidifying and Heating Passenger Compartment (1)

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating operations when bothdehumidifying and also heating the passenger compartment. In FIG. 6, aportion of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 200 does not passthrough the outdoor heat exchanger 202, and instead passes through thehigh-voltage solenoid valve 214 and is introduced into the evaporator218. Liquid flows inside the heating circuit 300 by the action of thewater pump 308, and the liquid flowing through the heating circuit 300is warmed by the water-cooled condenser 306. With this arrangement, theair dehumidified by the evaporator 218 is warmed by the heater core 304and introduced into the passenger compartment.

2.6. Dehumidifying and Heating Passenger Compartment (2)

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a different example ofoperations when both dehumidifying and also heating the passengercompartment. The basic operations are similar to FIG. 6, but in FIG. 7,the high-voltage solenoid valve 214 and the low-voltage solenoid valve204 are closed. The difference between FIGS. 6 and 7 is that, in FIG. 7,in the case in which the outdoor air temperature is low, thehigh-voltage heater 302 is turned on to ensure heating capacity whendehumidifying. On the other hand, in FIG. 6, in the case in which theoutdoor air temperature is low, since the refrigerant bypasses theoutdoor heat exchanger 202, it is possible to ensure heating capacityeven without using the high-voltage heater 302. Note that, similarly toFIG. 5, FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a state in which the flow of liquidfrom the heating circuit 300 to the battery temperature regulationcircuit 400 is stopped, and the battery temperature regulation circuit400 is stopped.

2.7. Dehumidifying Passenger Compartment and Cooling High-VoltageBattery

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of bothdehumidifying the passenger compartment and also cooling thehigh-voltage battery 410. With respect to FIG. 5, the chiller expansionvalve 206 is opened. Refrigerant compressed by the motorized compressor210 is cooled by the outdoor heat exchanger 202, and by being injectedinto the chiller 408 by the chiller expansion valve 206, the refrigerantgasifies and cools the chiller 408. The refrigerant flowing through therefrigerant circuit 200 and the liquid flowing through the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 exchange heat with each other in thechiller 408, and the high-voltage battery 410 is cooled.Dehumidification is performed similarly to FIG. 5.

2.8. Dehumidifying Passenger Compartment and Warming Up High-VoltageBattery

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of bothdehumidifying the passenger compartment and also warming up thehigh-voltage battery 410. The basic operations are similar to FIG. 5,but in FIG. 9, the liquid in the heating circuit 300 is introduced intothe battery temperature regulation circuit 400. For this reason, in thethree-way valve 310 of the heating circuit 300 and the three-way valves404 and 412 of the battery temperature regulation circuit 400, eachvalve is controlled such that liquid flows in the direction of thearrows. The liquid in the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 andthe heating circuit 300 flows in the direction of the arrows by theaction of the water pump 402. By introducing the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 into the battery temperature regulation circuit 400, it ispossible to warm up the high-voltage battery 410. The air dehumidifiedby the evaporator 218 is warmed by the heater core 304 and introducedinto the passenger compartment. In conditions in which the liquid in theheating circuit 300 is not given enough heat from the refrigerant, thehigh-voltage heater 302 is turned on to heat the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 further.

2.9. Heating Passenger Compartment with Heat Pump Configuration

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of heatingthe passenger compartment with a heat pump configuration. By putting therefrigerant in a high-temperature, high-pressure state with themotorized compressor 210 and causing the liquid in the heating circuit300 to exchange heat with the high-temperature, high-pressurerefrigerant at the water-cooled condenser 306, the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 is heated. Similarly to FIG. 5, the flow of liquid from theheating circuit 300 to the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 isstopped, and the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is stopped.The air to be introduced into the passenger compartment is warmed by theheater core 304. In conditions in which the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 is not given enough heat from the refrigerant, thehigh-voltage heater 302 is turned on to heat the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 further.

2.10. Heating Passenger Compartment with High-Voltage Heater

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of heatingthe passenger compartment with the high-voltage heater 302. By causingliquid in the heating circuit 300 to be heated by the high-voltageheater 302 and to exchange heat in the heater core 304, the passengercompartment is heated. The refrigerant circuit 200 is in a stoppedstate. Also, the flow of liquid from the heating circuit 300 to thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400 is stopped, and the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 is stopped.

2.11. Warming Up High-Voltage Battery with Heat Pump

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of warming upthe high-voltage battery 410 with a heat pump. The basic operations aresimilar to FIG. 10, but in FIG. 12, the liquid in the heating circuit300 is introduced into the battery temperature regulation circuit 400.For this reason, in the three-way valve 310 of the heating circuit 300and the three-way valves 404 and 412 of the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400, each valve is controlled such that liquid flowsin the direction of the arrows. The liquid in the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400 and the heating circuit 300 flows in thedirection of the arrows by the action of the water pump 402. Whenwarming up the high-voltage battery 410 with a heat pump, by putting therefrigerant in a high-temperature, high-pressure state with themotorized compressor 210 and causing the liquid in the heating circuit300 to exchange heat with the high-temperature, high-pressurerefrigerant at the water-cooled condenser 306, the liquid in the heatingcircuit 300 is heated. For this reason, the high-voltage heater 302remains in the stopped state unless the outdoor air temperature becomesextremely cold (for example, −10° C. or less) Consequently, powerconsumption may be suppressed, and energy usage efficiency may beraised.

As above, by basically using the refrigerant circuit 200 to exchangeheat between refrigerant and air inside the passenger compartment andalso to exchange heat between refrigerant and the liquid in the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400, temperature regulation (cooling,heating) of the passenger compartment and temperature regulation of thehigh-voltage battery 410 are achieved. Furthermore, at extremely lowtemperatures, by coupling the heating circuit 300 and the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 to put both on the same circuit, itbecomes possible to meet the temperature demand even at extremely lowtemperatures.

2.12. Warming Up High-Voltage Battery with High-Voltage Heater

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operations of warming upthe high-voltage battery 410 with the high-voltage heater 302. Bycausing the liquid in the heating circuit 300 to be heated by thehigh-voltage heater 302 and introduced into the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400, the high-voltage battery 410 is warmed up. Therefrigerant circuit 200 is in a stopped state. Likewise in FIG. 13, inthe three-way valve 310 of the heating circuit 300 and the three-wayvalves 404 and 412 of the battery temperature regulation circuit 400,each valve is controlled such that liquid flows in the direction of thearrows. The liquid in the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 andthe heating circuit 300 flows in the direction of the arrows by theaction of the water pump 402.

3. Regulation of Temperature of High-Voltage Battery by Coolant of PowerElectronics Cooling Circuit

As above, in the heat management system 1000, the refrigerant circuit200, the heating circuit 300, and the battery temperature regulationcircuit 400 may be used to regulate the temperature of the high-voltagebattery 410. Additionally, in the embodiment, it is also possible toregulate the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410 with the liquidflowing through the power electronics cooling circuit 100.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of adding bypasswater channels 130, 132, 134 and bypass three-way valves 140, 142, 144to the configuration of the power electronics cooling circuit 100illustrated in FIG. 1. The bypass water channels 130, 132, and 134couple the power electronics cooling circuit 100 and the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400. Also, in the configurationillustrated in FIG. 14, the expansion tank 406 of the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 is provided between the high-voltagebattery 410 and the water pump 402. The same applies to FIGS. 15 and 16described later.

With the configuration illustrated in FIG. 14, it becomes possible tocause the coolant for the power electronics (powertrain) cooled by theradiator 102 to flow through the battery temperature regulation circuit400. Specifically, by switching channels using the bypass three-wayvalves 140, 142, and 144, the coolant for the power electronics may beused to regulate the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410. Notethat it is preferable to stop the inflow and outflow of liquid betweenthe heating circuit 300 and the battery temperature regulation circuit400 by controlling the three-way valves 310 and 404. Also, heat exchangeby the chiller 408 does not have to be performed particularly.

The coolant flowing through the power electronics cooling circuit 100normally is at a higher temperature than the liquid flowing through thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400. Consequently, the coolantfor the power electronics may be used to warm up the high-voltagebattery 410. As described above, when the temperature of thehigh-voltage battery 410 rises moderately, the electric power generatedby the high-voltage battery 410 increases. Consequently, by using thecoolant for the power electronics to warm up the high-voltage battery410, it is possible to regulate the temperature of the high-voltagebattery 410 optimally and cause the high-voltage battery 410 to exhibithigh output.

On the other hand, in the case in which the temperature of the coolantflowing through the power electronics cooling circuit 100 is lower thanthe temperature of the liquid flowing through the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400, it is also possible to use the coolant for thepower electronics to cool the high-voltage battery 410. For example,since the high-voltage battery 410 generates when being charged, thecoolant for the power electronics that has exchanged heat with outdoorair at the radiator 102 may be at a lower temperature than the liquidflowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 in somecases. In such cases, by introducing the coolant for the powerelectronics into the battery temperature regulation circuit 400, thehigh-voltage battery 410 may be cooled.

Also, in the case of using the coolant for the power electronics to warmup the high-voltage battery 410, compared to the case of warming up thetemperature of the high-voltage battery 410 according to the proceduresdescribed in FIGS. 9, 12, and 13, since the refrigerant circuit 200 andthe heating circuit 300 are not used, power consumption may be reduced.More specifically, in the case of using the coolant for the powerelectronics to warm up the high-voltage battery 410, power is consumedonly by the water pump 106. On the other hand, in the case of using therefrigerant circuit 200 and the heating circuit 300, since the motorizedcompressor 210, the water pump 308, the high-voltage heater 302, and thelike act, the power consumption increases. Consequently, by using thecoolant for the power electronics to warm up the high-voltage battery410, it is possible to greatly reduce power consumption.

Furthermore, in the case of using the coolant for the power electronicsto warm up the high-voltage battery 410, the coolant for the powerelectronics that has already reached a high temperature may be used towarm up the high-voltage battery 410 in a short time. Consequently, itis possible to shorten the arrival time at which the high-voltagebattery 410 arrives at the target temperature.

In particular, in the case of causing the high-voltage heater 302 to actto warm up the high-voltage battery 410, power consumption by thehigh-voltage heater 302 increases, the driving output drops, and thereis a possibility that cruising radius of the vehicle will be reduced. Onthe other hand, with the coolant flowing through the power electronicscooling circuit 100, since the first piece of equipment 110 and thesecond piece of equipment 116 generate heat due to vehicle travel, it ispossible to utilize the heat generated by vehicle travel effectively towarm up the high-voltage battery 410. Consequently, in the case of usingthe coolant for the power electronics to warm up the high-voltagebattery 410, energy loss basically does not occur.

With this arrangement, when causing the vehicle to travel in alow-temperature environment, such as during winter for example, it ispossible to warm up the high-voltage battery 410 in a short time andcause the high-voltage battery 410 to exhibit the desired output.

Note that in cases where using the refrigerant circuit 200 or theheating circuit 300 to warm up the high-voltage battery 410 consumesless power than using the coolant for the power electronics to warm upthe high-voltage battery 410, it is preferable to use the refrigerantcircuit 200 or the heating circuit 300 to warm up the high-voltagebattery 410.

3.1. Case of not Using Waste Heat from Second Piece of Equipment

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of regulating thetemperature of the high-voltage battery 410 by utilizing powertraincooling water in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 14. FIG. 15illustrates the case of not using waste heat from the second piece ofequipment 116. As illustrated in FIG. 15, by controlling the bypassthree-way valve 140, the channel proceeding from the three-way valve 140to the second piece of equipment 116 is closed. In addition, thethree-way valve 144 is also closed.

For this reason, the powertrain coolant flows from the three-way valve140 through the bypass channel 130 to the battery temperature regulationcircuit 400. Additionally, the powertrain coolant flowing to the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 enters the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400 and flows in the direction of the high-voltagebattery 410→water pump 402→bypass channel 134→three-way valve 142. Withthis arrangement, it is possible to use the powertrain coolant toregulate the temperature of the high-voltage battery 410.

Also, in the example illustrated in FIG. 15, since heat is not exchangedwith the battery temperature regulation circuit 400, the refrigerantcircuit 200 may be used exclusively to regulate the temperature of thepassenger compartment.

3.2. Case of Using Waste Heat from Second Piece of Equipment

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case of using the wasteheat of the second piece of equipment. In the example illustrated inFIG. 16, by controlling the bypass three-way valve 140, the channelproceeding from the three-way valve 140 to the second piece of equipment116 is opened, and the channel proceeding from the three-way valve 140to the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is closed.

Also, by controlling the three-way valve 144, the channel proceedingfrom the three-way valve 144 to the battery temperature regulationcircuit 400 is opened, and the channel proceeding from the three-wayvalve 144 to the three-way valve 142 is closed.

For this reason, the coolant after cooling the second piece of equipment116 flows from the three-way valve 144 through the bypass channel 132 tothe battery temperature regulation circuit 400. Additionally, thepowertrain coolant flowing to the battery temperature regulation circuit400 enters the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 and flows inthe direction of the high-voltage battery 410→water pump 402→bypasschannel 134→three-way valve 142. With this arrangement, the coolantafter cooling the second piece of equipment 116 may be used to regulatethe temperature of the high-voltage battery 410.

By having the coolant cool the second piece of equipment 116, heat isexchanged between the second piece of equipment 116 and the coolant.With this arrangement, the waste heat from the second piece of equipment116 may be introduced into the battery temperature regulation circuit400. Consequently, it becomes possible to utilize the waste heat fromthe second piece of equipment 116 to regulate the temperature of thehigh-voltage battery 410, and more particularly, it becomes possible toutilize the waste heat to warm up the high-voltage battery 410.

4. Example of Cooling Pieces of Equipment Individually

Next, an example of cooling the first piece of equipment 110 and thesecond piece of equipment 116 individually will be described on thebasis of the configuration illustrated in FIG. 14. FIGS. 17 and 18 areschematic diagrams illustrating an example of cooling only the firstpiece of equipment 110 using the powertrain coolant. In FIGS. 17 and 18,the second piece of equipment 116 is cooled by using the coolant of thebattery temperature regulation circuit 400.

The configurations illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 are the same, andFIGS. 17 and 18 differ from each other in whether the cooling of thesecond piece of equipment 116 and the high-voltage battery 410 is inseries or in parallel. In the following, the configuration shared incommon between FIGS. 17 and 18 will be described, and after that theoperations of each of FIGS. 17 and 18 will be described.

In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the bypass channel130 illustrated in FIG. 14 is not provided, and a bypass channel 136 isprovided instead of the bypass channel 130. Additionally, a solenoidvalve 414 is provided between the site where the bypass channel 136 andthe battery temperature regulation circuit 400 are coupled and the sitewhere the bypass channel 130 and the battery temperature regulationcircuit 400 are coupled.

Also, in the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the bypasschannel 132 illustrated in FIG. 14 is not provided, and a bypass channel138 is provided instead of the bypass channel 132. A water pump 416 isprovided in the bypass channel 138. Also, in the configurationillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the water pump 402 is provided on theupstream side of the high-voltage battery 410, and the expansion tank406 is not provided. Furthermore, in the configuration illustrated inFIGS. 17 and 18, the flow direction of the liquid in the heating circuit300 is the reverse of FIG. 14, and the arrangement of the high-voltageheater 302 and the heater core 304 with respect to the flow direction isalso the reverse of FIG. 14.

Hereinafter, the operations illustrated in FIG. 17 will be described. Asillustrated in FIG. 17, by controlling the bypass three-way valve 140,the flow of powertrain coolant from the water pump 106 to the three-wayvalve 140 is stopped. For this reason, the powertrain coolant passingthrough the radiator 102 is not divided in two directions at the branch122, and is supplied to the first piece of equipment 110 by the actionof the water pump 106. With this arrangement, only the first piece ofequipment 110 is cooled by the powertrain coolant. After cooling thefirst piece of equipment 110, the inverter 112, and the DC/DC converter114, the powertrain coolant is returned to the radiator 102.

As described above, by controlling the bypass three-way valve 140, theflow of powertrain coolant from the water pump 106 to the three-wayvalve 140 is stopped. On the other hand, in the three-way valve 140, thechannel proceeding from the battery temperature regulation circuit 400to the charger 120 is opened. Also, by controlling the three-way valve144, the channel proceeding from the second piece of equipment 116 tothe three-way valve 142 is opened, and the channel proceeding from thesecond piece of equipment 116 to the bypass channel 138 is closed.

Also, by controlling the three-way valve 142, the channel proceedingfrom the second piece of equipment 116 through the bypass channel 134 tothe battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is opened, and thechannel proceeding from the three-way valve 142 to the radiator 102 isclosed. Furthermore, by closing parts of the three-way valve 310, thethree-way valve 404, and the three-way valve 412, the liquid in theheating circuit 300 does not flow into the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400. In addition, the solenoid valve 414 provided inthe battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is closed.

By the action of the water pump 402, the liquid in the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 and the power electronics coolingcircuit 100 flows in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 17, and theliquid is introduced to the second piece of equipment 116. At this time,the refrigerant circuit 200 is operating, and by exchanging heat betweenthe refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 200 and theliquid flowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 atthe chiller 408, the liquid flowing through the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400 is cooled.

Specifically, the liquid cooled at the chiller 408 is introduced to thehigh-voltage battery 410 to cool the high-voltage battery 410.Furthermore, the liquid that has cooled the high-voltage battery 410flows from the bypass channel 136 to the second piece of equipment 116to cool the second piece of equipment 116. After cooling these powerelectronics, the liquid passes through the three-way valve 142 andreturns to the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 from thebypass channel 134. The liquid returning to the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400 is cooled by heat exchange at the chiller 408.

As above, by closing the solenoid valve 414, the high-voltage battery410 is connected in series with the power electronics such as the secondpiece of equipment 116, the inverter 118, and the charger 120. For thisreason, all of the liquid that has cooled the high-voltage battery 410is introduced to the second piece of equipment 116. Consequently, thecooling capacity of the second piece of equipment 116 may be improved.

According to a configuration like the above, the powertrain coolantcooled by the radiator 102 is supplied only to the first piece ofequipment 110. With this arrangement, all of the powertrain coolantcooled by the radiator 102 is supplied to the first piece of equipment110, and is not supplied to the second piece of equipment 116. Also, thecapacity of the water pump 106 may be used only for the first piece ofequipment 110. Consequently, the flow rate of coolant to the first pieceof equipment 110 may be increased. Also, the powertrain coolantreceiving heat from the second piece of equipment 116 is avoided. Withthis arrangement, the cooling capacity for the first piece of equipment110 may be increased greatly, making it possible to cool the first pieceof equipment 110 reliably.

Also, by exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing through therefrigerant circuit 200 and the liquid flowing through the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 at the chiller 408, the liquidflowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is cooledand introduced to the second piece of equipment 116. Consequently, it isalso possible to cool the second piece of equipment 116 reliably.

Herein, in the case of utilizing the heat exchange at the radiator 102to cool the first piece of equipment 110 and the second piece ofequipment 116, it is not possible to cool the powertrain coolant tobelow the outdoor air temperature. For this reason, if one attempts tocool both the first piece of equipment 110 and the second piece ofequipment 116 with only the heat exchange of the radiator 102, cases inwhich sufficient cooling cannot be achieved are anticipated. If thesepieces of equipment cannot be cooled sufficiently, since the equipmentwill be unable to exhibit the desired output, it may be necessary to putlimitations in advance on the driving force to be generated by thevehicle in some cases.

According to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 17, for the secondpiece of equipment 116, cooling is performed by the refrigerant flowingthrough the refrigerant circuit 200. Specifically, by exchanging heatbetween the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 200 andthe liquid flowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit400, low-temperature liquid may be supplied to the second piece ofequipment 116, and the second piece of equipment 116 may be cooledsufficiently. Consequently, a drop in output caused by overheating ofthe second piece of equipment 116 may be suppressed reliably. With thisarrangement, limitations on the output of the vehicle may be avoided,making it possible to cause the vehicle to exhibit the desired drivingforce.

Note that compared to the power electronics such as the second piece ofequipment 116, the high-voltage battery 410 is controlled to a lowertemperature. For this reason, even if the liquid is introduced to thepower electronics such as the second piece of equipment 116 after firstcooling the high-voltage battery 410, sufficient cooling capacity may beobtained.

Also, for the first piece of equipment 110, all of the powertraincoolant cooled by the radiator 102 is supplied to the first piece ofequipment 110. Consequently, compared to the case of supplying thepowertrain coolant to both the first piece of equipment 110 and thesecond piece of equipment 116, the amount of powertrain coolant tosupply to the first piece of equipment 110 may be increased, making itpossible to greatly improve the cooling capacity for the first piece ofequipment 110.

For example, in the case in which the vehicle speed is relatively slow,since a small amount of air hits the radiator 102, if one attempts tocool both the first piece of equipment 110 and the second piece ofequipment 116 with the powertrain coolant, the cooling capacity for themotor provided by the powertrain coolant may be insufficient in somecases. If the cooling capacity for the motor is insufficient, the motoris unable to exhibit the desired output, and it becomes necessary tolimit the driving force as described above. The driving force is limitedto keep the motor from overheating when the motor temperature reaches65° C. or higher, for example. When the driving force is limited, thevehicle is no longer able to exhibit the desired power performance incases such as climbing a hill or traveling over an uneven road, forexample. In particular, in the summer and the like, there is apossibility that the outdoor air temperature may rise up to around 40°C., and if the cooling of the motor is insufficient, a drop in the motoroutput is more likely to occur.

In such cases, a situation is anticipated in which the first piece ofequipment 110 and the second piece of equipment 116 cannot be cooledsufficiently by cooling according to the outdoor air temperature usingthe radiator 102. According to the embodiment, since heat exchange withrefrigerant is utilized to cool the second piece of equipment 116, it ispossible to lower the temperature of the second piece of equipment 116to the outdoor air temperature or below (for example, approximately 18°C. to 20° C.). Also, by supplying all of the coolant cooled by theradiator 102 to the first piece of equipment 110, although thedifference between the motor temperature and the outdoor air temperatureis relatively small, the flow rate of powertrain coolant may beincreased to cool the first piece of equipment 110. Consequently, it isalso possible to cool the first piece of equipment 110 rapidly down tothe same level as the outdoor air temperature.

Next, the operations in FIG. 18 will be described. The cooling of thefirst piece of equipment 110 by the powertrain coolant is similar toFIG. 17. In FIG. 18, after cooling the high-voltage battery 410, theliquid flowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 iscooled by exchanging heat at the chiller 408, and is supplied to thesecond piece of equipment 116.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, by controlling the bypass three-way valve140, the flow of powertrain coolant from the water pump 106 to thethree-way valve 140 is stopped. On the other hand, in the three-wayvalve 140, the channel proceeding from the charger 120 through thebypass channel 136 to the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 isopened. Also, by controlling the three-way valve 144, the channelproceeding from the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 throughthe bypass channel 138 to the second piece of equipment 116 is opened,and the channel proceeding from the three-way valve 142 to the secondpiece of equipment 116 is closed.

Also, by controlling the three-way valve 142, the channel proceedingfrom the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 through the bypasschannel 134 to the second piece of equipment 116 is opened, and thechannel proceeding from the three-way valve 142 to the radiator 102 isclosed. Similarly to FIG. 17, by closing parts of the three-way valve310, the three-way valve 404, and the three-way valve 412, the liquid inthe heating circuit 300 does not flow into the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400. In addition, the solenoid valve 414 provided inthe battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is opened.

By the action of the water pump 402, the liquid in the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 and the power electronics coolingcircuit 100 flows in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 18, and theliquid is introduced to the second piece of equipment 116. At this time,the refrigerant circuit 200 is operating, and by exchanging heat betweenthe refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 200 and theliquid flowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 atthe chiller 408, the liquid flowing through the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400 is cooled.

Specifically, the liquid cooled at the chiller 408 branches at a branch124 that couples the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 and thebypass channel 138, and is introduced to both the high-voltage battery410 and the second piece of equipment 116. At this point, by causing thewater pump 416 to act, the liquid in the battery temperature regulationcircuit 400 flows through the bypass channel 138. With this arrangement,both the high-voltage battery 410 and the second piece of equipment 116are cooled. After cooling these power electronics, the liquid passesthrough the three-way valve 140 and returns to the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400 from the bypass channel 136.

As above, by opening the solenoid valve 414, causing the water pump 402to act, and additionally causing the water pump 416 to act, two channelsjoining the high-voltage battery 410 and the power electronics (thesecond piece of equipment 116, the inverter 118, and the charger 120) inseries may be formed.

The first channel is a channel that circulates through the chiller408→water pump 416→three-way valve 144→power electronics→three-way valve140→chiller 408 sequentially. Also, the second channel is a channel thatcirculates through the chiller 408→high-voltage battery 410→water pump402→chiller 408 sequentially.

Furthermore, since the water pump 416 serves as a flow rate adjustmentfunction, the flow ratio between the first and second channels may beadjusted optimally. Consequently, it becomes possible to provide anoptimal amount of liquid at an optimal temperature to each of the firstchannel and the second channel. Also, by the action of the water pump416, it is possible to return the liquid from the power electronics backto the battery temperature regulation circuit 400, and reliably deterflow (backflow) proceeding from the water pump 402 to the three-wayvalve 140.

According to a configuration like the above, similarly to FIG. 17, sinceall of the powertrain coolant cooled by the radiator 102 is supplied tothe first piece of equipment 110 and is not supplied to the second pieceof equipment 116, it is possible to increase the flow rate of coolant tothe first piece of equipment 110.

Also, by exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing through therefrigerant circuit 200 and the liquid flowing through the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 at the chiller 408, the liquidflowing through the battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is cooledand introduced to the second piece of equipment 116. Consequently, it isalso possible to cool the second piece of equipment 116 reliably.

Furthermore, according to FIG. 18, the liquid cooled at the chiller 408branches at the branch 124 that couples the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400 and the bypass channel 138, and is introduced toboth the high-voltage battery 410 and the second piece of equipment 116.For this reason, low-temperature liquid cooled by the chiller 408 isintroduced to the second piece of equipment 116. For this reason,compared to FIG. 17 in which the liquid is introduced to the secondpiece of equipment 116 after cooling the high-voltage battery 410, sinceliquid at a lower temperature may be introduced to the second piece ofequipment 116, the second piece of equipment 116 may be cooled reliably.

With this arrangement, since the second piece of equipment 116 may becooled rapidly, it also becomes possible to make the second piece ofequipment 116 temporarily produce output at or above the rated output.Consequently, the acceleration performance of the vehicle may beimproved greatly, and the performance for escaping from a stuck state orthe like may also be improved. Consequently, it becomes possible togreatly raise the merchantability of the vehicle.

Particularly, in cases in which the temperature of the high-voltagebattery 410 is relatively low and the second piece of equipment 116 isoverheating, since the low-temperature liquid may be introduced to thesecond piece of equipment 116, the second piece of equipment 116 may becooled reliably.

It is preferable to be able to switch between the mode illustrated inFIG. 17 and the mode illustrated in FIG. 18 according to the state ofheat generation in the high-voltage battery 410 and the second piece ofequipment 116. With this arrangement, it is possible to provide liquidat an optimal temperature to the high-voltage battery 410 and the powerelectronics at an optimal flow rate. For example, between the modeillustrated in FIG. 17 and the mode illustrated in FIG. 18, the modewith the shorter arrival time may be selected according to the arrivaltime by which equipment reaches a target temperature. Also, in casessuch as when traveling in economy mode for example, since the vehicleruns prioritizing power consumption over the time it takes for equipmentto reach the target temperature, it is also possible to select the modewith lower power consumption between the mode illustrated in FIG. 17 andthe mode illustrated in FIG. 18. Also, according to the configurationsillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, since two refrigerant circuits (thepower electronics cooling circuit 100 and the battery temperatureregulation circuit 400) are coupled by three-way valves, the expansiontank 406 may be omitted and a single expansion tank may be used.

Note that in the example illustrated in FIG. 17, the temperature of theliquid introduced to the second piece of equipment 116 is expected to behigher than in FIG. 18 due to cooling the high-voltage battery 410, butin the example illustrated in FIG. 17, all of the liquid flowing throughthe battery temperature regulation circuit 400 is introduced to thesecond piece of equipment 116. Consequently, in the example illustratedin FIG. 17, the temperature of the liquid introduced to the second pieceof equipment 116 rises as a result of cooling the high-voltage battery410, but by introducing all of the liquid flowing through the batterytemperature regulation circuit 400 to the second piece of equipment 116,it is possible to cool the second piece of equipment 116 reliably.

As above, in the embodiment, by taking a configuration enabling theselection of circuits that cool or warm up each part such as the firstpiece of equipment 110 and the second piece of equipment 116 in avehicle such as an electric vehicle, it is possible to select andexecute different cooling methods for different purposes, such as a modewith low power consumption per unit time and a mode with a short time toreach a target temperature. Also, it becomes possible to cool the powerelectronics such as the motor and inverter intensively by circuitselection. Furthermore, because it is possible to configure arefrigerant circuit capable of providing a cooling water temperature ator below the outdoor air temperature, output limitations on the powerelectronics due to variations in the cooling capacity depending on theoutdoor air temperature may be avoided, and an improvement in the outputof the power electronics also becomes possible.

Although the preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been describedin detail with reference to the appended drawings, the disclosure is notlimited thereto. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications or variations are possible insofar as they are within thetechnical scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. Itshould be understood that such modifications or variations are alsowithin the technical scope of the disclosure.

According to the disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle heatmanagement system capable of optimally cooling high-voltage parts thatrequire cooling.

1. A vehicle heat management system comprising: a refrigerant circuitconfigured to circulate a refrigerant to regulate a temperature inside apassenger compartment therethgrough; a battery temperature regulationcircuit configured to regulate a temperature of a battery by introducinga liquid that exchanges heat with the refrigerant to the battery; and anelectric part cooling circuit configured to circulate a liquid cooled bya radiator therethgrough, the electric part cooling circuit beingcapable of cooling a first piece of equipment and a second piece ofequipment for driving a vehicle, wherein in a first mode, the liquidcooled by the radiator cools the first piece of equipment, therefrigerant of the refrigerant circuit cools the second piece ofequipment, and the liquid which has exchanged heat with the refrigerantis introduced in parallel to the battery and the second piece ofequipment.
 2. The vehicle heat management system according to claim 1,wherein the battery temperature regulation circuit comprises a branch,and the liquid which has exchanged heat with the refrigerant is dividedat the branch and introduced to each of the battery and the second pieceof equipment.
 3. The vehicle heat management system according to claim2, further comprising: a first bypass channel that branches from thebattery temperature regulation circuit at the branch and is configuredto be coupled to the second piece of equipment; and a water pumpdisposed in the first bypass channel, wherein the liquid flowing fromthe branch to the first bypass channel by an operation of the water pumpis introduced to the second piece of equipment.
 4. The vehicle heatmanagement system according to claim 3, further comprising: a secondbypass channel configured to return the liquid introduced to the secondpiece of equipment back to the battery temperature regulation circuit,wherein the battery temperature regulation circuit comprises: a controlvalve provided on a downstream side of a coupling between the secondbypass channel and the battery temperature regulation circuit; and aheat exchanger provided downstream of the control valve and configuredto exchange heat with the refrigerant, the branch is provided on adownstream side of the heat exchanger, and in the first mode, by openingthe control valve, the liquid flowing out from the battery passesthrough the first bypass channel and is introduced to the second pieceof equipment.
 5. The vehicle heat management system according to claim1, wherein in a second mode, the liquid cooled by the radiator cools thefirst piece of equipment, the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuitcools the second piece of equipment, and the liquid which has exchangedheat with the refrigerant is introduced in series to the battery and thesecond piece of equipment.
 6. The vehicle heat management systemaccording to claim 5, wherein in the second mode, the liquid which hasexchanged heat with the refrigerant is introduced to the battery, andthe liquid flowing out from the battery is introduced to the secondpiece of equipment.
 7. The vehicle heat management system according toclaim 6, further comprising: a first bypass channel configured tointroduce the liquid of the battery temperature regulation circuit tothe second piece of equipment; and a second bypass channel configured toreturn the liquid flowing out from the second piece of equipment back tothe battery temperature regulation circuit, wherein the batterytemperature regulation circuit comprises: a control valve providedbetween a first coupling of the first bypass channel and the batterytemperature regulation circuit; and a second coupling of the secondbypass channel and the battery temperature regulation circuit, and aheat exchanger that is provided downstream of the second coupling andthat is configured to exchange heat with the refrigerant, and in thesecond mode, by closing the control valve, the liquid flowing out fromthe battery passes through the first bypass channel and is introduced tothe second piece of equipment.